Police launch their Winter Anti Drink and Drug Driving Campaign

Dyfed-Powys Police is leading the All Wales Winter Anti Drink and Drug Driving Campaign which will run from Monday December 1 2014 to January 1 2015.

Drink-drive victim, Dr Mark Boulcott will be supporting the campaign, after he lost his wife and he was left disabled by a drink driver, when the annual campaign is launched by Dyfed-Powys Police on behalf of the four Welsh forces.

Dr Boulcott and his wife Karen, were riding a motorcycle when the fatal collision happened in 2006. Karen died at the scene, and Dr Boulcott had a long, hard road to recovery, but has been left disabled after sustaining life changing injuries.

The driver of the car that hit them was three times over the legal alcohol limit for driving and also had class A drugs in his system.

During the 2013 winter campaign over 460 drivers in Wales were caught over the drink drive limit after 35,255 tests were carried out.

Over the next four weeks, thousands of motorists face being stopped as teams from the four forces -Dyfed Powys, North Wales, South Wales and Gwent – conduct road checks at various locations and times across the country.

Deputy Chief Constable of Dyfed-Powys Police, and ACPO All Wales lead on Roads Policing, Carl Langley said: “I would like to thank Dr Boulcott for supporting us with this year’s campaign, as reliving such a horrific and traumatic event publicly is incredibly difficult and brave.

“The campaign will once again focus on warning drivers that drinking and driving, or drug driving, is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

“If you drink and drive you significantly increase the risk of killing or seriously injuring an innocent person, yourself or both. We are asking people to think of the consequences, it’s just not worth the risk.

“Obviously, this isn’t just a Christmas problem, and we target drink drivers all year round. We need the public’s support to help us take these reckless, selfish people off our roads.”

Susan Storch, Chair of Road Safety Wales said: “Unfortunately too many drivers are still prepared to risk driving under the influence of drink or drugs. No-one should be in any doubt that alcohol, in any amount, will have a detrimental effect on driving ability. Road Safety Wales partners are committed to educating people about the consequences of impairment, and fully support the Police during this seasonal campaign, and throughout the year.”

If you have information relating to someone you think is driving whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs, please contact Dyfed-Powys Police, or your local police force on 101 or via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency always dial 999.